One of the biggest criticisms of Aaron Rodgers in his final seasons with the Green Bay Packers was his refusal to come to voluntary team workouts. While these things are just that (voluntary), last season the offense suffered from his inability to mesh with the three rookie wide receivers that the Packers drafted. Without Rodgers present, it was Jordan Love who helped baptize the three pass catchers in Matt LaFleur’s playbook.
Of course, Rodgers is gone and has decided that attending OTA’s with the New York Jets actually is important in building relationships with teammates. In his place is Love, who has been working with his teammates all offseason to make sure that the chemistry the team lost due to Rodgers’ absence in 2022 does not reappear in 2023. According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, the rookie wide receivers are in a very good place with Love.
Green Bay Packers Wide Receivers Explain How Approachable Jordan Love Is
After the Packers’ OTA session on Tuesday, which was open to the media, Demovsky asked several young wide receivers about what it is like working with Love. Dontayvion Wicks replied:
“Having Jordan Love, him being young, I’m able to relate to him more and able to just have the same vibe and talk to him. We sat at a table and talked, ate, things like that. It’s just building that bond with him, being that we’re so young. We’re going to be growing together.”
Jayden Reed told Demovsky, “I can go up to him, and he’ll come up to me sometimes. I think it’s mutual at this point.”
Wide receivers coach Jason Vrable is tasked with getting the young and inexperienced core of wide receivers ready for the season. Demovsky asked him if the younger guys have an easier time working with Love than they did Rodgers:
“When he’s talking, there’s usually a difference in Jordan talking and somebody else. They usually perk up and take notes on it. If Jordan says a note in the meeting of what he wants it to look like, everybody turns around is like, ‘All right, got it.’ So I think Jordan commands that and knows what he wants in our system. I think probably it might be easier, but that would probably be a question for them.”
Last year, Rodgers did not show up until mandatory training camp and was very demanding of the rookie wide receivers. Oftentimes, he would yell at them or throw up his hands in exasperation. That is not Love’s style of leadership, though. He said to Demovsky:
“I think they can relate a little bit better to me, but I try and be open with all these guys — talk to them and just let them know if there’s anything they need, ask me. I’m an open book. I try to let everybody know I’m an open book. Come ask me, come talk to me. I’m trying to build that chemistry with all of them.”
We have yet to see how much better the offense will be in 2023 in comparison to 2022; but it is nice to see that the quarterback is invested in getting on the same page with his wide receivers. That will help tremendously.
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